Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 15/99) - Parents and their children could soon have another French-immersion program available to them in Yellowknife.

Trustees with Yk Education District No. 1 decided Tuesday night to direct board staff to explore the possibility of offering entry-level kindergarten and Grade 1 French-immersion in the 1999/2000 school year.

"It's important we get off the mark right now (and study the idea)," board superintendent Ken Woodley said in a report to board members. "It's an enormous program issue for the district."

The French-immersion program currently begins at the Grade 4 level in Yk 1. There is also a French-language school, Ecole Ste. Cyr.

An entry level program would allow parents to have their children enroled even earlier in immersion education in French, one of Canada's two official languages.

While expressing support for French-immersion, Trustee Bob Patterson advised caution. He said parents often tell him the board needs to concentrate more on special education programs and continuing to ensure the district has a low teacher-student ratio.

"I want to make sure we're not taking away from what we have now (in possibly taking on an increased French-immersion program)," he said.

Trustee Wendy Bisaro said concerns such as those raised by Patterson are exactly what board staff need to look into in undertaking a study into entry-level French-immersion.

"That's all part of what we have to investigate," she said.

Woodley said the study will also attempt to discover what, if any, federal or other government funding is available for a board which takes such a step.